NEWS RELEASES
2001-02

NEWS RELEASES 2001-02
:: DECEMBER 11, 2001

13 PUBLIC SCHOOLS NOMINATED TO RECEIVE BLUE RIBBON AWARD

For North Carolina, 13 could be a lucky number as this is the number of schools
the state has recommended to receive the prestigious national Blue Ribbon Award.
Four middle schools, one junior high school and eight high schools from across
the state have demonstrated a strong commitment to educational excellence and
are nominated for a Blue Ribbon for their efforts. Now it's up to a national
review panel to decide the winners.

For the past 19 years, the U.S. Department of Education has recognized many
of the nation's most successful schools through its Blue Ribbon Schools program.
Schools selected for this prestigious award model excellence and equity and
exhibit a strong commitment to educational excellence for all students.

Donna Maye, principal of 2000-01 Blue Ribbon Award recipient Unionville Elementary
School (Union County Schools), found the Blue Ribbon application process rigorous
yet enlightening. "Applying for a Blue Ribbon Award provides a great way
to celebrate all that is good, meaningful and helpful to students that is going
on at your school. It affirms that you are doing an enormous amount for students
and, at the same time, helps you see the areas where you need to increase services
to students."

The following public schools have been nominated by the N.C. Department of
Public Instruction for the 2001-02 award:

A.C. Reynolds High, Buncombe County Schools

Freedom High, Burke
County Schools

South Caldwell High, Caldwell County Schools

East Chapel Hill High, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Seventy-First
Middle, Cumberland County Schools

First Flight Middle, Dare County Schools

Triton High, Harnett County Schools

South Charlotte Middle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Schools

Emsley A. Laney High, New Hanover County Schools

Hamlet
Junior High, Richmond County Schools

Cary High, Wake County Schools

Eastern Wayne High, Wayne County Schools

Springfield Middle, Wilson County
Schools

The U.S. Department of Education has established a national review panel of
public and private school educators to review each school's nominations package
and recommend which schools should receive a two-day site visit. Site visitors
will verify the accuracy of the information in the nomination package and obtain
answers to specific questions the review panel may have. The panel will use
the combined information to recommend the 2001-02 Blue Ribbon Schools.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Award Program was started in 1982 to identify and recognize
outstanding public and private schools across the nation; establish a framework
of criteria which schools could use for self-assessment and improvement; and
provide a forum to share best practices. Elementary and secondary schools are
eligible to participate in alternate years. To date, almost 3,400 public schools
have received this award representing the full spectrum of learning environments.

About the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction:
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provides leadership to 115 local public school districts and 126 charter schools serving over 1.5 million students in kindergarten through high school graduation. The agency is responsible for all aspects of the state's public school system and works under the direction of the North Carolina State Board of Education.

For more information:
NCDPI Communication and Information Division, 919.807.3450.